Happy Birthday, Tony Dow

[stevea]

4/13/1945 - 72 years old.

[Scrabjan1]

Wow little Wally Cleaver is 72!!!

[stevea]

Happy 77th birthday, Tony!

[80sTrivia]

Wishing Tony a Very

[Tankeryanker]

Happy B-day, Wally.

Wow, time just keeps marching on and on. I remember thinking he was an old guy, now I am the one who seems old.

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by stevea

4/13/1945 - 72 years old.

He was born at the tail end of WW2. My dad was a POW in German when Tony was born.

[Stepperry40]

Happy Birthday Tony Dow.

[Dude111]

Happy birthday Wally,we love ya buddy!!

[howilu]

Gee Wally. Happy 72nd birthday to Wally Cleaver, better known as Tony Dow.

[stevea]

77, now. I called up an old thread.

[Sgt. Saunders]

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

He was born at the tail end of WW2. My dad was a POW in German when Tony was born.

Tankeryanker,

My dad was a US infantryman in Germany in April of 1945. He was wounded by German mortar fire with less than a month before V.E. Day after being in both North Africa and Europe, starting in November of 1942.

Whenever I complain about some inconvenience, I remember how many young men had to serve for over two years overseas during World War II. That puts things into proper perspective.

[AB]

Happy Birthday to Tony!

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by Sgt. Saunders

Tankeryanker,

My dad was a US infantryman in Germany in April of 1945. He was wounded by German mortar fire with less than a month before V.E. Day after being in both North Africa and Europe, starting in November of 1942.

Whenever I complain about some inconvenience, I remember how many young men had to serve for over two years overseas during World War II. That puts things into proper perspective.

My dad got captured on April 1rst (I know, I know) and spent the last two months of the war as a POW. I never got to meet him so I do not know if he had enough to eat or what kind of conditions he was in.

My great-grandparents loved Mussolini and felt that they had a good life under him in Italy. My grandparents came to the US in the 1920s.

This is my dad's obit.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/td...5438&fhid=5176

[Sgt. Saunders]

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

My dad got captured on April 1rst (I know, I know) and spent the last two months of the war as a POW. I never got to meet him so I do not know if he had enough to eat or what kind of conditions he was in.

My great-grandparents loved Mussolini and felt that they had a good life under him in Italy. My grandparents came to the US in the 1920s.

This is my dad's obit.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/td...5438&fhid=5176

Was your father at The Battle of the Bulge? I understand that a lot of American soldiers were taken prisoner during that surprise attack by the German army. The great Tony Bennett was a young American soldier, who served in that bloody battle. Mr. Bennett described it as like “being in Hell.”

Those men were so young, who served during World War II. Sadly, there are very few of them still alive today. My father died nearly forty years ago. His father came to America from the “other Emerald Isle,” Sicily, with his parents when he was an infant; the rest of the family did emigrate from the “real Emerald Isle,” like Saoirse Ronan’s character did in the wonderful film, “Brooklyn,” hence, the expression, “half-Gaelic, half-Garlic.”

[stevea]

I heard a lot of them lied about the age, not to avoid service but to get in it. My dad was behind the lines, I was always told due to his eyesight; he died in 1992.

My deceased retired-col. uncle (who lived to 100+) piloted a helicopter in the war, for what purpose I don't know. He continued in the service after the war; thus the Col. rank.

When I hear stories of D Day and other battles, it makes me think there's justification for calling these men and women the greatest generation. And yes, there are very few of them left.